Starmer describes fatal Minneapolis shooting as ‘concerning’

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described the fatal shooting of an American man by United States immigration officers in Minneapolis as “concerning,” following the circulation of disturbing footage from the incident.

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, was shot dead on Saturday by officers believed to be from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a protest in the city. Videos shared widely online appear to show federal agents opening fire on Pretti while he was already on the ground.

The incident has triggered widespread condemnation across party lines in the United States and renewed protests in Minneapolis, amid growing scrutiny of ICE operations and enforcement tactics.

Speaking to journalists aboard a flight to China on Wednesday, Starmer said the footage he had seen raised serious concerns.

“I haven’t seen all of the details, but what I have seen is obviously concerning,” he said. “I don’t think anybody could see some of the footage and not say it’s concerning.”

Reports indicate that Pretti was legally carrying a firearm at the time of the incident, although no video footage shows him holding or brandishing the weapon before he was shot.

Pretti’s killing came less than three weeks after another fatal shooting in Minneapolis, in which Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot dead by an ICE officer on January 7.

The deaths have intensified criticism of US immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump, whose administration initially blamed Pretti for the incident.

However, amid mounting public outrage, Trump said on Tuesday that he would “de-escalate a little bit” in Minneapolis.